Belleville detectives continued their investigation Tuesday of the attempted armed robbery of a Family Dollar and the armed robbery of one of its patrons in west Belleville on Monday night.

A 45-year-old woman was leaving the Family Dollar at 610 89th St. when three masked, armed men walking in about 7:52 p.m. on Monday. The woman fled into the parking lot.

The three men carrying handguns, wearing dark hoodies with something covering their faces, proceeded to enter the store, but were not able to get money from the cash register.

The three men then chased the woman who left the store and ordered her to give up her purse and cell phone, according to police reports. The suspects then ran away.

Two of the suspects were described as black males in their late teens or early 20s, 5-feet, 8-inches to 5-feet, 10-inches tall, with a thin build, according to Belleville Police Capt. Don Sax. The third suspect is also a black male in his late teens or early 20s, 5-feet, 4-inches to 5-feet, 6-inches, with a thin build.